Blindspot on the Bubble: Keep or Cut?

By mid-May, the broadcast networks must make some tough calls as to which series will return for the 2018-19 TV season, and which… won’t.

As that deadline draws near, TVLine is singling out a few “bubble” shows and sizing up their prospects — based in large part on their creative strides (…and stumbles) and future potential, but also with a requisite nod to cold, hard numbers.

THE CASE FOR KEEPING| After a sophomore season that focused too heavily on Shepherd and Sandstorm, Blindspot has wisely gone back to basics in Season 3. Jane’s own brother is now the villain, which has raised the stakes for the entire FBI team and made way for some seriously exciting Tattoo of the Week cases.

The show has also made great use of its ensemble this year, introducing intriguing subplots both personal (hello, Reade/Zapata/Megan love triangle!) and professional (Patterson’s wholly entertaining history with Rich Dotcom). Blindspot has a lot of moving parts in every episode, but each one is genuinely fun to watch.

THE CASE FOR CUTTING| Averaging 3.5 million total viewers and a 0.7 demo rating in its new Friday home, Blindspot — just as it was a year ago — is among NBC’s least watched, lowest rated dramas, besting only its lead-out, Taken. That said, it is a damn steady performer, posting a 0.7 rating for nine of this season’s 13 episodes.

Creatively, though, the series has taken a few disappointing turns in its third season. Jane and Weller’s relationship has been the heart of Blindspot since it began, but the endless plot twists keeping them from being happy together — Weller killed Jane’s daughter! (But didn’t really!) Jane has a past with some guy named Clem! — are turning the show’s central arc into a tiresome soap opera. And even though it’s been fun to watch Roman toy with the FBI team, the show is testing viewers’ patience by oh-so-slowly revealing what his end game really is.